Alternate server system

• US 6,973,486 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kenneth M. Blakeney
• Original Assignee: Kenneth M. Blakeney
• Inventors: Blakeney, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US10/751,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 714/13, 714/25, 709/220, 709/225, 709/223, 709/239, 707/10, 700/19, 700/20
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups

Abstract

An alternate server system for continued network operation in the event of a network server failure. The alternate server system integrates a number of main servers with a backup server and a number of workstations. The backup server periodically takes snapshots of selected application data sets on the main server. In the event of a main server failure, the backup server gives users of the workstations the option to continue running applications on the backup server using the selected backup data. When the main server is returned to operation, the alternate server system discontinues execution of applications on the backup server, updates modified data, and restarts the applications on the main server.

Claims

1. An alternate server system operating within a network environment, comprising:

at least one main server;

a backup server including a master controlling daemon, an application profile database and application code to run independent applications;

at least one workstation;

a set of cooperating daemon running on each one of the at least one main server, and each one of the at least one workstation;

wherein said master controlling daemon monitors a status of each one of said set of cooperating daemon on each of said at least one main server and said at least one workstation so as to alert users of potential failure of any one of said at least one main server, and initiates a command to maintain program operations via said backup server; and

wherein a watcher daemon at said at least one main server coordinates with the master controller daemon and the application profile database for periodically taking data snapshots and sending the data snapshots to a backup storage on said backup server;

wherein said backup server maintains operations of running programs with no data and application losses, and instantaneously reestablishes the operations of the running programs based on a most recent snapshot upon a main server failure, such that when a signal from the watcher daemon is not timely received by the master controller daemon to indicate problems with the main server, the master controller daemon signals a switcher daemon at said at least one workstation to notify the users of the main server failure, and allows the users to continue operations using said backup server based on selected stored data.

2. The server system according to claim 1, wherein each one of the at least one main server further comprises one or more processing units, input devices, interface output devices, an internal memory coupled by an internal bus and a watcher daemon.

3. The server system according to claim 1, wherein each one of the at least one workstation further comprises a switcher daemon.

4. The server system according to claim 3, wherein a battery-powered router/transmitter and laptop and notebook computer is used as a workstation.

5. The server system according to claim 2, wherein each one of watcher daemons and switcher daemons monitor conditions of each respective machine upon which they run and report the respective conditions thereof to the master controller daemon.

6. The server system according to claim 5, wherein the watcher daemons further comprise a monitor module, a data collector module, and a data restorer module.